Generative artificial intelligence and educational autonomy: historical metaphors and ethical principles for pedagogical transformation

Abstract

This article examines the integration of generative artificial intelligence in education from a critical, historical, and ethical perspective. It highlights growing concerns about the opacity of current artificial intelligence tools, particularly in learning systems. The study adopts a metaphor-based approach to explore how technological narratives influence the adoption of educational innovations. It reviews historical metaphors used to describe educational technologies, from Multivac and Matrix to the free software Bazaar and the App Store, and proposes new conceptual frameworks that may better reflect the current context in which artificial intelligence is entering the educational sphere. Based on this metaphorical analysis, the article outlines seven fundamental ethical principles for the safe adoption of generative artificial intelligence in education, focusing on privacy, pedagogical alignment, human oversight, and technological transparency. These principles are illustrated through a practical application: the LAMB (Learning Assistant Manager and Builder) environment, an open-source software framework that enables the ethical and contextualized design of artificial intelligence-based learning assistants. The article presents real-world cases of LAMB implementation in higher education, including a controlled experience with students that demonstrates significant improvements in student autonomy and pedagogical coherence. Finally, it emphasizes how LAMB embodies the proposed ethical principles and responds to the identified critical metaphors, offering a model for technology integration centered on teacher autonomy, alignment with institutional values and practices, and meaningful student learning that prioritizes pedagogical control over technological determinism.